Flue-plugging device



. UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

' FRANK SHARP, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FLl JlE-PLUGGING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,612, dated May 29,1883.' Application filed March 8,1883. (Modem 5Z0 all whom t'tmayconcern:

, Be it known that I, FRANK SHARP, of Los .Angeles, in the county of LosAngeles and State of California, have invented a newand usefulImprovementin Flue-PluggingDevices, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to produce an improved implement ordevice'for plugging the fines of locomotive-engine and other boilerswhen said fiues burst or are ruptured, and while the boilers are at workor in use. An ordinary device used for this purpose consists of a roundbar having a rigid socket. at its one end for holding the plug to beinserted in the ruptured tube, while the opposite end of the bar isstruck to drive the plug home into said tube. This causes the plug to betightened also in the socket of the bar, so that when the bar isattempted to be removed from the plug the two ,usually come outtogether, and, if striking the lug with the bar that has nothing toguideit,

theadjoining flue is apt to be struck, which sometimes causes leakageand serious damage. My invention consists in a plugging device of novelconstruction in various respects, including an extension-handle,wherebythe implement may be lengthened or shortenech as required, and saidextension portion made to 30 drive the plug into the ruptured flue, and

whereby the implement is made to firmly hold and drive different-sizedplugs; also, the plug lwereadily fitted to its holder, and only the plugwhich is required to be inserted can be struck by the driver, and theimplement is easily detached from the plug after insertion,

. substantially as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a broken longitudinal view of afiue-plugging device,with a plugv as held by it and in position for being inserted within aboiler-flue, which is shown in section. Fig. 2 is a mainly sectionallongitudinal view of the same in part. of the implement, and Fig. 4 aside view of the front portion of the same.

A in the drawings is atubular guide or stock,

on the front portion of which is fitted a springclamp or plug-holder, B,having sidejaws, b b,

Fig. 3 is a front end view which projectin front of the forward end ofsaid guide and have flanges c e, that prevent the Y clamp from enteringthe line 0 and getting wedged between the plug D and inside of the flue.The hollow guide or stock A forms only one portion ofwhatis usuallytermed the han-t.

dle of the implement.

In the ordinary plugging-bar, what is called the handle is generally tooshort, inasmuch as it gives the operatorbut little to hold on to whenthe plug is in proximity to the flue, the usual distance the bar isrequired to be projected in a locomotive-boiler being from six to ninefeet, and'the handle of the bar is limited in length to admit ofitstloeing carried crosswise on the back end of the tender of the enginewithout projecting over the sides thereof, that exposes it to strikingelose-passin g trains on side tracks. This difficulty is entirelyovercome in my improvement by making the bana long working bar or handlemay be obtained,

and yet thesame be contracted within a short length or compass whenrequired, and a good substantial handle, of any desired length, is ormay be produced to project the plug into the flue, after which the th umb-screw d is loosened and the operator slides the driving-barA to strikeand force the plug D to its place in the flue O. The hollow stockportion A of the handle also acts as a guide and causes the plug tohestruck fair and square by the driver A. Said driver or driving-bar Ashould be tipped with steel for a certain distance at its forward endand said end cupped, as at e, and tempered to keep it from burring up,and so that it will slide freely through the tubular or guiding portionA'fof the handle. By the cup 6, in the front end of the driving-bar A,said bar is kept from glanciu g from the plugwhen being driven at anangle. The driving-bar A is constructed at its outer end with a swell orhead,f, so that when workingthe implement at an angle said driving-barwill have additional weight, and theimplement may either be worked as awhole by tightening the bar A through the screw din a fixed position,orsaid screw be loosened and the driving-bar be slid'or worked to reachwhere the whole instrument cannot.

The spring-clamp B, which will fit differentsized plugs, is form ed orprovided with asleeve, g, by which it is secured onto the guide A, andthe spring-jaws b b, which are to be made of spring-steel and areconcave at their outer ends to hold the plug, are attached to saidsleeve. Said spring-clamp not only firmly holds the plug, but, afterinsertion of the plug, admits of the implement being readily drawn backor removed without carrying the plug along with it, and withoutstraining on the flue-sheet.

The thumb-screw (1 serves to hold the driving-bar in place both when theimplement is in use and when it is notin use; or it may be loosened ashereiubefore described, when using the instrument.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a device for plugging boiler-fines, thecombination ofa tubular stock or guide having an attached plug holder orclamp, a drivingbar fitted to work longitudinally within said thetubular guide or stock A and driving-bar A, substantially as specified.

4. In a plugging device for boiler-fines, the driving-bar A, having acup, 0, at its forward end, in combination with the tubular guide orstock A, having an attached plug holder or clamp, essentially asdescribed.

5. In a plugging device for boiler'flues, the

combination of the tubular guide or stock A,

the spring plug-holding clamp B, the cupped driving-bar A, and thethumb-screw 01, substantially as specified.

' FRANK SHARP. Witnesses:

JOHN D. MURPHY,

CHARLES S. SELLS.

